Restaurant employee injured in parking lot assault

A Dover man, identified as Ramon Ruffin, 46, has been jailed after allegedly assaulting a McDonald's employee.

Staff reports

Dover Police have arrested a local man after he led them on a wild chase following an assault at a local fast food restaurant.

The incident began with a 911 call at approximately 2:38 p.m. Dec. 9, said police spokesman Cpl. Mark Hoffman, with the caller telling dispatchers an employee of the McDonald's at 879 N. DuPont Highway had been assaulted.

The victim, a 58-year-old man who works at the restaurant, was walking to his vehicle when he was approached by a man who pointed a handgun at him and demanded his wallet.

The suspect, later identified as Ramon Ruffin, 46, of the first block of South New Street, Dover, allegedly used the gun to hit the victim in the head and face several times. As this was going on, Ruffin allegedly pointed the gun at another man who had come into the parking lot and witnessed the altercation. Ruffin then jumped into a white minivan and drove off but not before the second man was able to spot the license number and provide it to Dover Police.

A patrol car spotted Ruffin driving in the area of North DuPont Highway and Scarborough Road and gave chase. Ruffin struck two other vehicles while trying to escape, but the chase ended when he struck a pole in a parking lot at Delaware Technical Community College. Ruffin fled on foot, but was caught.

A search of the vehicle turned up a loaded .45-caliber handgun, which police records indicate had been stolen in Richmond, Va. The Delaware Tech campus was on lock down for approximately 15 minutes, Hoffman said.

The victim suffered numerous lacerations and broken bones as a result of the assault, Hoffman said, but is expected to recover.

Ruffin was charged with first-degree attempted robbery, first-degree assault, possession of a firearm during commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a person prohibited, aggravated menacing and resisting arrest.